If you're unsure, then call and do the phone screening. I'd rather err on the side of caution and find out there is no problem then err on the side of not worrying and find out later there is a problem and we could have had help earlier. And the evaluation itself is play based, so it's not like you'd be putting your kid through this awful thing for no reason. It's not like medical testing where there are risks to be considered.

Henry hasn't said any words yet, although he knows about 9 or 10 signs. According to the progress report we just got, he can follow directions, but at home it seems like he just does whatever the heck he wants.

I spoke to an OT that is at my work (we work in the same hospital, but not together, but I have had her as a guest lecturer for our residents and we talk from time to time when we see each other in the hallway). Anyway, I told her about what's going on. She didn't seem too concerned, but she said she could get us evaluated by an SLP that she works with, who can do it on the weekend and come to our house. We just need a referral from our doctor, which should be easy to get because that is what she was considering doing previously. Anyway, I think this might be a better option for us. I will get more info from her on Thursday too about what's normal in terms of language development. My husband seemed to like this option better too, which was kind of important for him given his history.

Just catching up here. Glad that the hearing test is scheduled. Agree with all of those saying that this is the first place to start. I absolutely wouldn't worry about him though, based on a lack of words right now. The general guideline we used working with kids is that they are likely to say 1-3 words at age 1, so it's not like he's way behind or anything. Also, I don't know that this is what's happening in your situation, but the speech delay in bilingual children really is pretty common. I worked with loads of bilingual families while teaching and during my grad work (on biculturalism in children), and later as a nanny. Receptive language is generally about the same, but many families noted that their toddlers were talking as much as their peers.

What is his speech like generally? Does he babble? Have "conversations" with you? Does he make word-like sounds when surprised/angry/joyous, etc.? On the receptive side, does he watch people's faces when they are talking to him?

How old is C again, based on his gestational age?

For what it's worth, one of F's playmates here is 14 months and he doesn't speak any clear words yet. He babbles a lot, squeals, etc. His family is bilingual as well. He's perfectly fine and healthy, just manages to communicate well without words for now. :)

What is his speech like generally? Does he babble? Have "conversations" with you? Does he make word-like sounds when surprised/angry/joyous, etc.? On the receptive side, does he watch people's faces when they are talking to him?

How old is C again, based on his gestational age?

He babbles and watches faces when he's in the mood. The daycare center told me this morning that yesterday he signed "more" and said "mo" - if so, that's his first word.(!?) That was pretty surprising to me to hear them say. He has been signing "more" a lot the last 3 days. I feel like he is making progress and getting better, so that is definitely making me feel more secure.

So I was told by the lady from the developmental center that language delay in bilingual kids is a myth. They might jumble the languages, and if they are supposed to know 20 words total, they might have 10 in each language (for a total of 20). Maybe I misunderstood her though. One OT did tell me they were slower to say the first words.

I haven't contributed much to this thread because we had worries about Dahlia for a while but it all ended up being just fine. However, the pediatrician we used for her first 18 months had us freaking out for a while because she told us at our one-year visit that babies should have around 30 words!! At that time D was maaaybe saying Papa, Mama and not much else. We have since switched doctors - not because that one caused us needless worry on several matters, just because we found a good dr closer to where we live now.

So I was told by the lady from the developmental center that language delay in bilingual kids is a myth. They might jumble the languages, and if they are supposed to know 20 words total, they might have 10 in each language (for a total of 20). Maybe I misunderstood her though. One OT did tell me they were slower to say the first words.

Sort of off topic, but if anyone ever finds anything definitive on this topic, I'd love to see it. I also keep hearing the yes-now-no thing about this but don't think i've ever seen anything backing it up.

So I was told by the lady from the developmental center that language delay in bilingual kids is a myth. They might jumble the languages, and if they are supposed to know 20 words total, they might have 10 in each language (for a total of 20). Maybe I misunderstood her though. One OT did tell me they were slower to say the first words.

Sort of off topic, but if anyone ever finds anything definitive on this topic, I'd love to see it. I also keep hearing the yes-now-no thing about this but don't think i've ever seen anything backing it up.

He had his audiology appointment yesterday and his speech-language assessment today. Mostly things went really well. His audiology tests showed he had good working ear parts and was sketchy for the hearing part, but the audiologist wasn't too concerned - mostly she thought that test wasn't reliable for him because he was scared of the mechanical puppy. She recommended a follow-up in 4 months. His speech-language assessment was pretty good too. He is a little delayed in speech (1-2 months, more like 1 month taking into account prematurity). She wasn't very concerned, had suggestions for how to get him to talk more, and really saw that he was doing a lot of things he should be doing. He is doing pretty much everything he should be doing by 9-12 months, and some of the things he should be doing between 12-15 months (he is 14 months now, minus about 1 for prematurity, so should be testing around 13 months). He doesn't need early intervention and she said that he wouldn't qualify for it anyway. She recommended a follow-up in 6 months.

I'm feeling a lot better. He is continuing to learn so much every day and this on top of what I've seen him accomplish is very reassuring.

Also, my bebecito has giant ear canals. She had to use adult sized stuff. The biggest she'd ever seen on a little kid. And, I knew her! We work on the cleft palate team together! I didn't realize I was seeing her!

Miles just had his 2 year checkup and has ear infections AGAIN in both ears. He just had an ear infection 2-3 weeks ago plus at least 2 others in the last 6-9 months. He's being referred to an Ear Nose and Throat Dr for hearing test and some other test because it seems to be affecting his speech. He was on track with his speech development at 1 year and 1 1/2 years old and I feel like he's gotten off track a bit which seems to go along when his ear infections started. He should be more clear with his words at his age and seems to be getting less clear. He understands 2 languages (English and Italian) but I feel like he is hearing a muffled version of our voices. My husband, the Italian speaker, is worried that it's his fault for not speaking English to him. I personally do believe that bilingual kids are a touch delayed but I don't think that is what is delaying Miles. My poor babe.

I'm not overly concerned yet with him being speech delayed. I'm more concerned with his constant ear infections. Reno wasn't talking to much at 2, she definitely had more words then Miles does now, but now she has one of the best vocab's in Kindergarten.

I wouldn't blame the Italian. Some kids do have a constant ear problem. One of my sisters had dozens of ear infections her first few years (they were this close to putting in tubes) and she needed speech therapy until at least kindergarten. We think part of it was the ear stuff and the other part was being the baby in a big family of talkers and not getting enough speech practice. I hope the specialist can give you some more useful steps to take next.

Oh poor Miles! Ear infections are no fun. I hope the ENT helps you determine best next steps. It does sound like you are catching it early, which is great and will hopefully make all the difference. I don't know if you are into more alternative stuff, but even our pediatrician says baby chiropractic can help clear up fluid accumulation in the ears and help facilitate healing of ear infections. We know several people who go to Drew Family Chiro in Livingston.

A mom we know locally dealt with a similar issue recently, so if you are looking for any recommendations for therapists etc, please let me know and I can reach out and put you in touch. Her son was speech delayed and they did speech therapy. The therapist was very good and also let them know when it wasn't helping enough. At 3.5 they ended up doing shunts in his ears to clear up residual issues from the ear infections and her son's speech rebounded dramatically.

Sending you all lots of good thoughts. Miles is such a great kid, and we adore him and hate to think of him suffering all these ear infections! Please let us know if we can support you in any way.

_________________My oven is bigger on the inside, and it produces lots of wibbly wobbly, cake wakey... stuff. - The PoopieB.

Thanks ladies. For the record. I don't blame the Italian for his possible speech delay. I am just someone who in general feels that bilingual children can be delayed but without it causing need of any true interventions. Mile's possible delay has nothing to do with his bilingual-ness though. The Dr. says it isn't because of that either. My thoughts are once the ear infection thing is figured out his speech issues will disappear quickly. I'm at least crossing my fingers for that. :)

After talking to my mom is seems there is a history of ENT problems on her side of the family. A bunch of my 1st cousin's kids had to get tubes in their ears at 2 because of constant infections and my uncle had to have some surgeries at 2 because of tonsils and things.

Ariann...Before today I wondered if Miles was a touch delayed because he sister doesn't shut the fork up. She talks non stop...really...NON STOP. Its maddening. A cousin on my Dad's side of the family was delayed because his older sister talked to much and talked for him.

Rachel...if speech therapy is every needed I'll get in touch! I'll see what the ENT says. If he needs tubes I might try the chiropractic option first. I don't want my s'Miles put under. :(